Prasetya Online

UB News

Community service program in Dusun Kapru, Gunungsari Village has been running since July 2018 by upholding the theme of preservation of art and culture and the natural potential in Dusun Kapru. The selection of the theme is because the village has the potential of natural and cultural art.

Dusun Kapru has less tourism potential compared to other hamlets in Gunungsari Village because Dusun Kapru does not have many tourism attractions such as apple or orange picking area. Therefore, Isti Purwaningtyas, M.Pd along with community service team of Faculty of Cultural Studies (FCS) Universitas Brawijaya (UB) focuses more on arts and cultural activities of the village and some traditional art like Reog as the tourism potency of Dusun Kapru.

The community service team continues to coordinate with the Head of Dusun Kapru on the needs of the local community. There is also a potential special cuisine called Ladu, a crispy local cuisine, a special snack from Batu city. Dusun Kapru wants to be the center of Ladu production.

The other members of the community service program are Dyah Rahayuningtyas, M.A from Study Program of Anthropology and some students of FCS UB. At first, the team talked to the Head of Dusun Kapru, its youth organization and Dusun Kapru activists and submitted a proposal of the program. After that, they run the program together.

There are some obstacles in running the program, but the biggest obstacle is the mindset of the Gunungsari villagers (not just the Dusun Kapru residents) are less open to tourism potential. "Because of that, they need a lot of motivation to realize that they can do more than the other hamlets did," advised Isti Purwningtyas, M.Pd.

She also hopes that the people of Dusun Kapru be able to be motivated to develop a better tourism management. (Afandi/DT/MSH/PSIK FIB/Humas UB)